I'm signed up for the Mountains of Misery ride next weekend. This will be my second. I made it last year up to Mountain Lake without stopping or walking (horrors!)

I am so behind in my riding, my weight, and just about everything compared to last year. I've only done 4 century rides this year, and two were flat as a pancake.

I have considered skipping the ride this year, but I've already paid, and I have $225 worth of non-refundable hotel reservations in Blacksburg. I guess that's a good thing ;) My plan is to do at least the 70 miles back to Newport, and see how I feel at that point.

Today will be my last pre-ride chance to train. I have a route mapped out that takes in part of Fauqier County, and 33 miles on Skyline Drive, about 7500 ft of climbing total. Hope the rain holds off!

Hope to see a few of you at the ride.

p.s. is it tempting fate or giving myself an "out" if I bring along cleat covers in case I have to walk the last 3 miles?

05-22-10, 05:08 AM

BikeWNC

:lol: You've only done 4 century rides this year? :lol: MoM will be my first this year. I guess we have different expectations for the ride.

05-22-10, 09:54 PM

jppe

I did a fairly flat 100 miler today (except for climbing Pilot Knob) and struggled to get up any speed at all. I kept checking my back tire today thinking it was flat!! These extra pounds are going to make the last 3 miles on MoM about as painful as it gets. I'm still trying to figure out why I signed up for Mom this year.........I'm not too worried about the first 100 miles-I know I can do that before the sun sets. Just not sure about the last 3.

05-23-10, 12:54 AM

JimF22003

I guess we'll all be struggling :)

Here's the ride I did today. Not fast, but I felt surprisingly good. Got in about 9000 ft. of climbing over 100 miles. Finished in the rain, which invigorated me a little bit. I was all ready to take on Mountain Road at that point :)

Last weekend, a few of us who are riding MoM did a training ride out of Wardensville, WV, which included some sinister climbs. Click here to see a course map. The second climb was a near-replica of the climb to Mountain Lake. The third climb had a long dirt stretch (2 miles up, 5 miles down). It was a perfect tune-up ride for MoM.

This weekend I'm up in New England, so my final big training ride will be today, in the overcast weather. It won't be a century - I'm tapering - but will feature some good hill work.

Am I as prepared for MoM as I was last year? I don't think so, but my focus last year was a big event ride in late June, so I needed to be in better shape. This year, the big stuff starts in early August, so it's not as critical to be in full form just yet.